opinions on Brownings laminated stocks

Just wondering what peoples opinions are on laminated stocks?

7iain7 said:

Just wondering what peoples opinions are on laminated stocks?

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Far more robust and practical than wood, but less pretty .also disliked by the traditionidts.  I would have bought a grey laminated 525 if they had built it with trap forend

I was initially attracted to them because they're not traditional, but I've seen one with scratches and I think they are harder to fix when they do get dinged up.

I think if you don't mind them looking weathered after a while then grand.

Also consider , will you ever want to bend the stock at any time during your ownership of the gun . If you do stick with walnut . 

MartynB said:

Also consider , will you ever want to bend the stock at any time during your ownership of the gun . If you do stick with walnut . 

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Think modern guns with adjustable stocks have quite a bit of adjustment capability. Think if you checked out general fit before buying cant see the need to bend it at some later date. I would estimate that by far more grade 5 browning's and miroku have suffered from cracked stocks than have required bending. Just my opinion as I have had a top grade walnut browning stock crack and break. I would take durability and practicality over traditional, looks,  but that's only my experience

I have shot 525SL quite a lot and think it's a cracking gun.  Nearly bought one.

Then I picked up a Miroku MK38 grade 5 sporter which felt very similar and decided I couldn't quite live with the laminate, call me old school but it is a very very pretty gun to boot !

TRINITY said:

Think modern guns with adjustable stocks have quite a bit of adjustment capability. Think if you checked out general fit before buying cant see the need to bend it at some later date. I would estimate that by far more grade 5 browning's and miroku have suffered from cracked stocks than have required bending. Just my opinion as I have had a top grade walnut browning stock crack and break. I would take durability and practicality over traditional, looks,  but that's only my experience

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I’ve got 2 grade 5 Mirokus that I’ve had bent in several directions . I agree that they can be risky as they are American Black Walnut , and the grain at the wrist can be weak depending on how it lies  .  The biggest issue on them is they have a metal sleeve through the wrist which has to be unglued and removed before bending and then refitted which takes a leap of faith  . I do have a Krieghoff with an adjustable comb , but I even had cast put on that , as I found the height adjustment fine but I didn’t like the ledge left after the  cast applied on the adjustable comb .  But back to the laminate , it’s undoubtedly tough ,  ( I’ve got a CZ rifle with a Boyds stock , it will never shift in a hundred years ) . Will it make any inroads into shoguns in general ? Probably only at a certain price point on clay guns . I think they are a very Marmite thing and to be honest  I’m probably prejudiced so the wrong person to offer a user opinion . 

I've got a 525sl which I bought as opposed to a sporter 1 as it is a bit heavier and to me better balanced, I wanted an adjustable comb but don't like the trap forend on the walnut gun, I'm not bothered about engraving or grade 5 wood the gun does its job now I just have to keep up with it 

Laminated stocks - beyond ugly.

Truth be told though any kind of wood for a gun stock is a less than brilliant idea given the expectations of durability.  Wood in the presence of oil, water and repeated shock from recoil isn't going to have a great time so there are better modern materials for sure.

However...Shotguns are in a curious place as they often sit where the points of elegance, exquisite craftsmanship and functional capability intersect and a beautiful piece of timber is part of that.  

Cant see me ever going the laminate route .i have seen them on the shelf but found them to be unsightly.i may be traditionist but i believe the beauty of a fine shotgun is made up of the wood and action.as for durability well there are guns out there over 100 years old same wood as when new.yes some will split but i think that is more down to stocks being made in high volume and maybe not being cured properly because of this.

No arguments about the practicality of laminates, other than issues with removing dings (although I suspect they are more resistant?) However, I'm an old codger and do like a bit of nicely figured walnut and I rather like nice engraving too. 

My guess is the split between those "for" and those "against" will pivot somewhere around the age of 40 years  

No I'm 63

i like the grey one but the brown is

bit of an update to this post:

I've had my silver pigeon for about six plus years and just fancied something new.(Going to keep the SP)

I tried the 525sl and it  reminded me of  my MK38 in many ways.

It impressed me enough to buy buy one, tried it out today for the first time & was impressed by the low felt recoil & much better than expected trigger pulls.

Imo this is a fantastic value, if somewhat marmite gun.

Finners said:

No arguments about the practicality of laminates, other than issues with removing dings (although I suspect they are more resistant?) However, I'm an old codger and do like a bit of nicely figured walnut and I rather like nice engraving too. 

My guess is the split between those "for" and those "against" will pivot somewhere around the age of 40 years  

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I'm 56 and firmly in the "for" camp having shot one quite a bit. Am i in the camp you thought i'd be in? 

These are a very good gun. 

Seems this 'marmite' gun has caused quite a stir amongst the 'traditionalists'.

Seems crazy to me that people would not consider using such a gun based purely on what the stock is made from and how it looks. There are a few at my ground that have flatly refused to consider it because of this. Bizarre to me considering it's a far better gun than what some of them are already shooting. 

atb

Bob